Subject: Grail: "The Great Brightness" - 'A Doctor's Work is Never Done'
Stardate 47307.21, 1002 hrs
William looked around his Sickbay. Soon, very soon, everything
would break loose. He had his staff and some of the volunteers that had
trickled in, mostly from the Science departments, but the Marine Medical
Corpsman stood out the most among the blue turtlenecks. "Alright people,
here is our situation," he began. "We have found that the virus can be
contained by a Class 4 Biofield, but hopefully we won't have to use them
very often. You will be called upon over the next one to two weeks to
respond to emergencies around the ship created by the General Quarters
order. Of all ship's personnel, we have the run of the place, in a manner
of speaking. Site to site transporting will usually be the manner of
reaching emergency sites. Transporter room two has been notified of this,
and they wait upon our calls.
"Also, each of you will undergo a medical scan after every case
you treat, just in case. Any bodily discharge has the most chance of
transmitting the device, so use extreme caution when around any type of
spills. One more thing. Keep painkillers, dermal regenerators, and
portable bone knitters in you kit at all times. These General quarters
orders may lead to fights from cabin fever when people are allowed to get
together. That's all. Dismissed." William watched the people file out,
some to return to quarters, others to their duty stations. This was
going to be a long week.
Stardate 47307.26, 0133 hours
"Computer, begin Chief Medical Officer's log."
-Recording begun- chimed the computer.
"Stardate 47307.26, 1233 hours. The General Quarters order has
turned the Grail into a veritable space-borne coffin. After only three
days under the order, I've seen the effect that it has had on morale,
especially in my department, which arguably has its hands the fullest
during this time. To date, we have diagnosed and catalogued three new
cases of viral infection, two of which came from an unfortunate incident
in the mess hall. Those infected have been restricted to quarters, and
their department heads notified. On a personal note, I could do without
having to diagnose everyone before they all head down to Kerestia for
some R&R, although if Doctor Ramin is correct, we'll need to go to the
planet for the cure anyway. I could use some R&R, that's for sure. End
log."
Stardate 47307.29, 1600, CMO's Office
Doctor St. Claire stepped into the office, indicating her arrival
for Blue Shift. William jerked his head up briefly. "Ah, hello Doctor,"
he said. She nodded in response. "I'll be out of your way in a moment,"
Ramius said, as he stood from his chair and patted his chest to make sure
he had his glasses. "Good news that the General Quarters order is due to
be lifted, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," she replied. "I've been looking forward to some
R&R, although I don't think I can get into the holodecks yet."
"I'm sure you'll think of something," said William, reassuring her
as he moved past her and out to his quarters.
--CMO's Quarters--
"A meeting concerning away team procedures, hmmm," said William
aloud to the empty room. He stood and ordered his dinner, then sat back
down at his desk and began going over the status reports that he had
received before leaving. Oh, how he longed to get the cure for this
damned virus. It would relieve him of many headaches. As he finished his
last bite of green beans, William began to think about how rashly he had
acted to get put upon the Grail. A volunteer assignment to the Indiana,
and now this. Battling a specially engineered Romulan virus on a ship
where, more often than not, the crew is battling each other. With a
chuckle to himself, William wondered if he was the only sane person on his tub.